EAST LANSING, Mich. - Michigan State softball is back in action this weekend for five games at the 2025 Red & Black Showcase hosted by University of Georgia on Feb. 14-16. The weekend is highlighted by a pair of games against the No. 10-ranked Bulldogs, with MSU also taking on Longwood twice and Western Carolina for a single game. Georgia is set to host teams from Michigan State, Michigan, Longwood and Western Carolina this weekend.
MSU opens play at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, February 14 against Longwood before returning to Jack Turner Softball Stadium for a 6 p.m. game against the Bulldogs that same night. The Spartans are back on Saturday afternoon for a 3:30 p.m. match-up against Georgia and a 6 p.m. rematch with Longwood. Michigan State's weekend concludes on Sunday, February 16 at 10:30 a.m. against Western Carolina.
Only Friday night and Saturday afternoon's games against #10 Georgia will be broadcast, with each appearing on SEC Network+ through the ESPN+ platform. All other games will have live stats provided on GeorgiaDogs.com.
Â
Sophomore outfielder Kendall Smiley returns to her home state this weekend as a native of Duluth, Ga.
SERIES HISTORY
Michigan State is 1-7 all-time against Georgia, previously playing twice in Athens in 2008 (Georgia Classic) and 2017 (Bulldog Invitational). MSU's lone all-time win over the Bulldogs came in their first ever meeting, a 4-3 win on March 16, 2003, at the Fresno NCAA Regional. The Spartans lost to Longwood, 5-2, at the 2008 Georgia Classic in Athens, the only meeting all-time between the two teams.
Michigan State and Western Carolina have not met for a full completed game, but a game between the two teams was started on March 10, 2023, at the Torero Classic in San Diego. A downpour of rain in the first inning forced the game, and the remainder of the weekend to be canceled.
SPARTANS OPEN 2025 AT CANDREA CLASSIC
Michigan State opened its season in Tucson, Arizona at the Candrea Classic last weekend where it faced #16 Arizona for an opening night doubleheader, #11 Alabama and Western Michigan (x2). The Spartans exited the weekend with a 1-4 record but played competitive games against ranked opponents in Arizona and Alabama.
Â
T3 | MSU 5 - WMU 1
Hannah Greer's turn to go yard! Her second of the weekend puts us ahead 5-1.
Four MSU batters hit .300 or better in the opening weekend led by Sydney Doloszycki (.375) and joined by Britain Beshears (.333), Hannah Greer (.308) and Mik Anthony (.308). Beshears (1.175) and Greer (1.126) both posted an OPS over 1.000.
COACHING CONNECTIONS
Georgia head coach Tony Baldwin was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Michigan State baseball program from 2006-08 where he recruited multiple future MLB draft picks under then head coach David Grewe.
Â
Former Michigan State baseball assistant coach Tony Baldwin
Michigan State pitching coach Danielle Stenger got her coaching career started at Western Carolina under Jim Clift where she spent six seasons as an assistant coach including being elevated to the role of associate head coach. Stenger coached the Catamounts' all-time leader in strikeouts, Jordan Garrett (740 strikeouts).
NEW CAREER HIGHS
Several Spartans posted new career bests during the opening weekend at the Candrea Classic. Dolszycki's three hits and three runs scored against Western Michigan on Feb. 8 were a new personal best. Beshears tied her career-bests in hits (3) and home runs (2) against Arizona on Feb. 6, also breaking previous career records in single game RBIs (5) and runs scored (3). Greer posted the first two multi-hit performances of her career with two hits against each of Alabama and Western Michigan, while also hitting the first two home runs of her career.
